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N0. 6l5,838. Patented Dec. I3, |898.

0. s. & w.`s. FOSTER. BED.

(Application led Aug. 1, 1895.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

@WW/M5@ ma@ No.` 6|5,838. Patented Dec. I3, |898. D. S. &. W. S. FOSTER.

' BED.

(Application filed Aug. 1, 1895.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets*$heet 2.

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OSCAR S. FOSTER AND VILLIAM S. FOSTER,` OF UTICA, NEW YORK.

BED.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 615,838, dated December13, .1898.

' Application iiled August l, 1895. Serial No. 557,850. (No model.)

T all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, OSCAR S. FOSTER and WILLIAM S. FOSTER, of Utica, inthe county of Oneida and State of New York, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Beds; and we do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same, reference-being had to the accompanying drawings,and tothe letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which formpart of this speciiication.

Our invention relates to improvements in beds.

In the drawings which accompany and form a part of this speciiication,and in which similar letters and figures of reference refer tocorresponding parts in the several views, Figure 1 shows a corner of abedstead and a corner of our improved construction of bed. Fig. 2 showsaplan view of a corner of a bedframe, of a modiied form of constructionfrom that shown in Fig. 1, in connection with a cross-section of abed-post employed with this construction. Fig. 3 shows in perspectivethe construction shown in Fig.'2. Fig. 3 shows the post employed withthe construction shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 3b shows a section of the siderail employed with the construction shown in Fig. Fig. 4 shows anothermodified form of construction. Fig. 5 shows, on a larger scale, the sameconstruction shown in Fig. l. Fig. 6 shows a wedge or key employed inthe construction. Fig. 7 shows a side view of the frame of a form ofconstruction corresponding with that shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 8 shows aplan view of a section of fabric employed in connection with the springswhich hold it taut and the section of cross-bar to which it is attached.Fig. 9 shows an edge view of the fabric folded.

ln the form of construction shown in Figs. l and 5 the bed-frame onwhich the fabric is stretched is composed of side rails l and crossbars2, the former being, as shown, of pipe. Agledron or other form may bereadily employed by slightly modifying the socket-holding device whichreceives the ends of the side rails. The cross-bar, as shown, consistsof a right-angled angle-iron, and this form is preferable under mostcircumstances. For at- 1 taching the side rail to the cross-bar we use aholding device, (indicated generally by the reference-numeral 3.)'lhisholdingdeviceis provided with a socket 3, which receives the end ofthe side bar l, and is provided with a notch in thel end, as indicatedat 3b, which receives the stud-pin l, projecting from the side of theside rail, and prevents the holder from turning on the end of the siderail. The holder 3 is also providedwith a iiange 3C, adapted to form ashoulder for the outer side of the cross-bar or end rail 2 and alsoprovided with a hook-like portion 3d, which overhangs the horizontalportion of the cross-bar. The end of the cross-bar is slid into theholder from the side, the horizontal web of the angle passing under thehook 3d and the rear web abutting against the iiange 3, and in thisposition the cross-bar is secured by the wedge or key 4, driven into theopening between the base of the hook 3 and the edge of the horizontalflange of the cross-bar, forcing it against the face of the flange 3cand firmly securing it. In lieu of the key a setscrew.(shown in dottedlines at 4. in Fig. 3) may be used. The key 4. is preferably providedwith a head that can be struck with a v hammer to withdraw the key. Bythis arrangement the side rails of the bed may be adjusted from theeXtreme outer end of the cross-bar toward the center to accommodate thebed to any size of bedstead, and in the construction, as shown in Figs.l and 5, the side rail has been moved in from the extreme outer ends ofthe cross-bars, so that the end ofthe cross-bar can rest upon the siderail of a bedstead, (indicated byAin Figs. l and 5.)

Another advantage in having the side rails movable is that a certainamount of the strain of the fabric may be placed on the outer side inand the tendency of the cross-bar to spring in the center to a certainextent is obviated.

The cross-bar and side rail may both be provided with truss stays orbraces to increase their ability to resist strain, if desired.

The construction shown in Figs. 2 and 3 .is similar to that shown inFigs. 1 and 5, except that there is added onto the holder 3 a halfsleeve5, adapted to engage a bed-post, as 6, the sleeve 5 being provided withhook-like shoulders 5a on its inner face, adapted to enof the side rail,while the side rails are moved IOO gage the projecting ends of either ofthe pins 6 extending through the bedpost, whereby the bed-frame isattached to the post without the use of the side rails, as A. The twopins, as 6, in each post or leg allow the side rail or bed-frame to bemounted in a higher or lower plane, as desired.

In the form of construction shown in Fig. 4 the holding-piece 7 ismodified' from the construction shown in the other figures to itssimplest form, and the end rails or cross-bar S is simply secured byrivets onto the piece 7, the rivets being shown at 7 a. The socketpiece7, however, is detachable from the side rail in the same manner as shownin Figs. 3, 3b, and 5.

The side rails employed in all of the construction are bowed upward, asshown particularly in Fig. 7, to more eifectually withstand the strainof the fabric.

The fabric employed in the construction consists of a series of similarU -shaped links, having hooked arms a t and a cross-bar at the base ofthe U b. Where the arms a a join the cross-bar at either side areprovided indentations or small bends c c in which the hook of the nextadjacent link engages. These links when joined together form beltsextending lengthwise of the bed, and they are arranged at intervals, sothat the interval between the adjacent belts will besubstantially equalto the intervals between the arms ct a of the links.

Passing transversely across the bed and along the cross-bars b of eachlink are pro* vided the spiral stays d, which coil around the cross-barsl? and ex tend between the belts, holding them spaced at suitableintervals while permitting the fabric to be folded together or doubledup, as shown in Fig. 9, the links hinging together where the hook ends aengage indentation c of the next adjacent link. This allows the fabricto be doubled up and folded into a very compact body. The fabric isstretched or held taut in the bed-frame by means of the helical springsX at one end of the bed and Y at the other end. These springs aresimilar in construction, except the wayin which the hooks are turned toadapt them to engage the fab ric and the crossbars of the bed,respectively.

What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination in a bed, of posts, bedbottom andlaterally-adjustable means for connecting the bed-bottom to the posts,substantially as set forth.

2. The combination in a bed-bottom of sidc rails, cross-bars and afastener between the side rails and cross-bar, constructed and arrangedto slide along the cross-bars, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination in a bed-bottom of side rails, cross-bars, alaterally-adjustable fastener between the side rail and cross-bar, and afabric attached to the cross-bar above the top of the fastener,substantially as set forth.

4. The combination in a bed of a side rail, a cross-bar, a fastenerwhich receives the cross-bar adj ustably therein and awedge,substantially as set forth.

5. The combination in a bed of a side rail, a cross-bar, a leg and acommon fastener having a socket for receiving the end of the side rail,an adjustable clamp for securing the cross-bar and a half-sleeve forengaging on the leg with hooks for supporting the frame combined,substantially as set forth.

6. In a bed the combination with head and foot frames of a bed-bottomconsisting of side or longitudinal bars and cross or end bars, one orboth of the said longitudinal bars being laterally adjustable on thecross or end bars and means to attach the longitudinal bars directly tothe said head and foot frames.

7. In a bed the combination with head and foot frames of a'bed-bottomconsisting of side or longitudinal bars and cross or end bars, one orboth of the said longitudinal bars being laterally adjustable on thecross or end bars, means for securing the cross andend bars whenadjusted and means to attach the longitudinal bars directly to said headand foot frames.

S. The combination in a bed-frame of side rails, corner-fastenerssecured on the side rails, cross-bars engaging in and adjustable in thecorner-fasteners and wedges engaging between the cross-bars andcorner-fasteners, substantially as set forth.

9. A bed fabric consisting of longitudinal courses arranged at intervalsof links consisting of parallel side arms hooked at one end and havingan integral cross-bar between their other ends and spiral cross-staysextending between and forming the sole connection between the courses oflinks and coiled around the cross-bars of the links in passing thecourses, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof we have affixed our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

OSCAR S. FOSTER. VILLIAM S. FOSTER. lVitnesses:

H. O. STONE, GEORGE C. CARTER.

IOS

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